OFC SIFF Collaboration to Boost Football in the Solomons

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The Ocean Football Confederation (OFC) has reinforced its commitment to developing the professionalism of its Member Associations (MAs) with a recent visit to the Solomon Islands in a rejuvenated collaboration with the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF).

As part of the visit, OFC Chief Operating Officer, Frederic Guillemont, and Head of MA Services, Flavia Lopes, liaised with SIFF staff and leaders to conduct an organisational review and leadership workshop.

The visit to the Solomon Islands was a part of the OFC’s Capacity Building Programme, which provides MAs with personalised services to account for their needs; especially focusing on operational efficacy, strategic planning and effective leadership.

The collaboration proved timely for the SIFF, as the organisation has continued to excel at developing a professional footballing network across the country, in time for the launch of the new OFC Professional League set to kick off in 2026.

SIFF President Donald Marahare, expressed how important the work of the OFC was for the Solomon Islands.

“The collaboration between SIFF and OFC will help us define our identity as a football organisation—our values, strengths, potential, and areas for improvement,” he said in a press release.

“We now have a clearer vision of our path forward and what needs to be done to elevate the Federation to new heights.”

Together, the SIFF and OFC achieved one of the key objectives of the visit – the development of a new action plan that highlighted important areas for the SIFF to work to continue their forward development.

At the visit’s conclusion, Guillemont conveyed the OFC’s optimism for football in the Solomon Islands.

“This collaboration was an important step in our commitment to strengthening football management across Oceania,” he said via press release.

“The enthusiasm and dedication of SIFF’s leadership and team members were evident, and we are confident that with the right structures in place, the Federation will continue to grow both on and off the pitch. Our role at OFC is to build capacities in football management and leadership, provide resources needed for long term success.”

Lopes echoed Guillemont’s sentiement.

“The response to the workshop was overwhelmingly positive. SIFF leadership and team members were engaged, motivated and eager to refine their internal structures and enhance their operational efficiency,” she added.

The Oceania Football Confederation will continue to aid and guide the Solomon Islands Football Federation and other Member Associations as football grows rapidly across the region.

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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